I think it took me 5 days none-stop-every-waking-moment to read the story. Of course I had to stop for work but it is a very very very long story. I am a fast reader and even I found this book too long for me.
But the book is a good read. I like historical fictions and really enjoy reading about the times and places in this book. What I did not like so much was the romance bit. I do not like a half-way jobs (of course, half-way jobs by my definition only). If it is a romance then please be a real romance. If it is not, please concentrate on telling the story. The romantic portion in this story is minimal but I still feel that the writer was a bit too graphic about the intimate scenes, which I thought was unnecessary. Of course he would have a love interest and it is only natural to have it in the book. It is just, I don't understand why the writer chose to write about sex with such details. Not that I mind, it is just, well I felt that I was reading a 800 pages romance novel with 2 pages of love and intimacy. Hugely unsatisfying.
I did not watch the movie, incidentally. Overall a really good historical fiction. I really enjoyed reading about his journey as a physician. I just wish I didn't have to learn about his sex life. :p